The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-10
Accorded to the pre5ervers of our
country.

Monday morning last opened up
bright and clear, and "Old SOl'' seemed
to fairly Guido himself in his efforts to
help the good people of Abilene in Civ
ing a warm welcome to those in attend
ance on the Sixth Annual State En-
campment of the Grand Army of the
Republic. The visitors commenced
arriving that day, the first delegation
coming in on the noon train from Els
worth, accompanied by the cornet band.
The afternoon and evening trains were
loaded down, also the five o'clock train
Tuesday morning, SO that by the dawn
of the opening day, large number of
visitors were already in attendance.
Tuesday opened bright and clear, and
the crowd was largely augmented
throughout the day, the regular trains
and a number of specials being loaded
down. The boys had a jolly time dur
ing the day, visiting each other and
spinning yarns.
In the evening the first meeting was
held in the Opera House, which was
packed to the doors. Rev. DR.. J. L.
McKeehan gave the opening address,
on behalf of Mayor Rice, which was as
follows:
Department Commander. and members of
che Grand ARMY the Rannbljc of ,o
State of Kansas:
You would naturally expect words of wei
como from the mayor of the city, but our
honorable and greatly beloved mayor is Ike
the freshman who tell from the masthead of
ship, and when they shouted: Patrick, are
hurt, but I'm speeches." And am happy
to say the mayor is not hurt on this occa-
sion, but, being 4 very reticent and diffident
man, he is simply speeches..
TWenty-SeVen years ago Il snOt in Charles
ton harlor startled the nation from its long
dream OF peace. The f1sg of our country, |
floating on Sumpter, went down in sorrow
and sbame. The patriotism of the land was |
aroused. The war cry of Liberty ana I'M
ion. now and forever" rang cut from the At |
!antlc seaDoard TO the Golden Gate, and ma
ton OF indignant ireemen sprang TO arms.
The farmer, like Cincinnatus OF old, left |
the plough standing in the field; the mer-
chant his goods on the counter; the LAWYER
his unfinished bIiet; and from every pro.
fession and business brave men hurried
away to the seat of war.
ilC iAOuI VI separation You wei remem-
Der. There were weeping mothers, wives
sister ana sweethearts, who chung to YOU
TIL the last moment; followed you to the
gate of your old home, and there, with
Streaming eyesand wavino bandkarcbIcfi |
watched you until they could see YOU no |
more. The aged father, TOO feeble to leave
the house, put his hand upon your head, and !
with quivering lips could only say ''God
bless you my boy
Thus you left home and friends to vindl-
cate the honor of the ''star spangled banner''
and to stand as a wall of fire between the en-
envy Of liberty and the homes of America
You went out to "du nr die" to fight il out
on that line If ii required ali summer or ali
your life. You were fully resolved that the
rebel flag must first float over Your own
dead BODY before II could wave over a coun-
try in whose defense Washington un
SheatAed his sword There was only one
thing you had tor the traitor and that was
six feet of ground in which to bury him.
From quiet and peace-lOving citizens You
were suddenly transformed into patriotic !
heroes. You soon learned all about the weary |
march, the privations OF the camp, the sick |
ness of the hospital, and the internal suffer |
ings of the prison pen.
You heard the bursting shell and faced |
thousands of unseen bullets speeding death
in every direction. You became familiar
with empty coat sleeves, weary clutches !
anguish and death. The Spartan |
band Of Leonidas at the pass of Thermopvlap |
were not more heroic and self-sacriffcing ,
than you.
Curtius who leaped into the yawning gulf to | -
save his nations life was not any more dar
ng tnSn you. The six hundred who rode in 4
"a the claws of death" at Balaklava were not
more intrepid than you. In more than three q
hundred battles for the union you shot TO
everlasting deata the heresy of secession, 1
md StTangulated the hydra headed monster |
II treason and rebellion. You made for |
q fame that is recognized on ali |
continents, and that will last through all the d
and returned from the war with | :
he same feeling of triumph that rang out Z
rom the dying soldier on the stress of I,
Lthens, who had just returned from the II
lood7 field OF Marathon, Rejoice with me n
ny countrymen, for the victory is ours"
And because you saved the nation, Won a
ave mortgage written In blood on every
IAN, woman and child, and on every acre of | =
md in these United States. The Soldier
ave all, and VOL all, and yet how mean and -.
tingy we are, when even pension is asked | W
Dr. the suffering hero. The rich men of TO. | p
az, who fattened on the blood of three -
undred thousand men, button up their | in
lethoric purses, and complain of the amount
Aid out 10 these defenders of the nations 81
az. We read of one old Roman Porcious
ato,. who ended every speech with this
ntence: Carthage must be DESTROYED -
I'd if were legislator on the floor of the in
Itienal congress, should feel like closing -
7ery speech with these words: "Au oppo- ST
ton TO the pensioning of every honorablv ,
scharged Union soldier must and shall be th
stroyed."
sc the ''Soldier,s Home" in Paris. few
ars ago were men who were with Napol-
n at AusterlitZ, at the Pyramids in the an
full retreat from Moscow. and at the -
ldge of Lodi. The French government | &c
pit them like princes, and so you men / ,
ould have princely munificence from &c
II country, for whose honor YOU exposed
1r bodies as targets TO the bullets of the
sIny. and put your lives in jeoparily on the / =
~r,f< 1,I1 r,fr- roas